Zoos are some of the world’s most visited attractions. Yet they often make headlines for controversial reasons such as in 2016 when the Cincinnati Zoo shot and killed a gorilla after a child fell into the animal’s enclosure or in 2017 when poachers killed a rhinoceros at a Paris Zoo for its horns. While schoolchildren and adults alike may delight at the prospect of a trip to the zoo, historically zoos have represented far more than a fun way to spend an afternoon. Explore zoos past and present in this episode of History Talk where hosts Brenna Miller and Jessica Blissit speak with historians Daniel Vandersomers and Tracy McDonald.

For more on zoos, see Origins' article, "What's All Happening at the Zoo?"

Posted: March 2017

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A transcript of this podcast is available at https://origins.osu.edu/historytalk/caged-humans-and-animals-zoo